Element Z

Chapter 12: Midnight Raid

Blake ran up to Ethan barking out of excitement as Ethan put his radio away smiling, picking his dog up and cuddling him. Those who stayed behind while we went to the town cheered for our arrival since there were no casualties, putting the supplies up Sarah gathered her people around a makeshift podium. Zach and I looked at Ethan who was a nervous mess, our plan to take out the President wouldn't be able to work if the people say no tonight. "Do I have to be the one to explain it? I'm great with thinking and planning, but I just have never been a people's person. Shocking I know, I am a higher up in Element but I never attended office parties or went to the conferences." Zach laughed as he pat him on the back. "You'll do fine, just tell them the facts and stuff."

Sarah walked in to the barn as Ethan did his best to calm himself down. "They're ready for us, come on." We followed behind Sarah, and I was so amazed. Within the span of fifteen minutes she had managed to throw together chairs, lights, and a little podium area. As we made our way towards the stage Sarah told us to wait as she went to tell her people what was happening first. "Evening fellow Saviors of Humanity." They cheered her on so easily, they trusted her, made me wonder how the group formed and chose her as Leader. "Our fellow friends who joined us today have a request of us, that they wanted to ask. So if you could treat them with the love and respect we treat each other with and give them your attention, they want to make their case for why we should help them on their mission."

Sarah went and sat at the front of the crowd as we walked onto stage, the beaming lights, the men with guns keeping guard of the area, and people in the audience. It felt so surreal, felt like we were important people. I stood behind Ethan to his left and Zach stood to his right, Ethan was as nervous as ever but he managed to speak. "E-Evening people of this community, we wanted to ask for your......your help in taking down the President. We've been in his sanctuary before, and he plans to-" Before he could finish the crowd was booing him, I knew they didn't trust us but that felt too harsh and it appeared Sarah felt the same. She seemed upset at her own people as we locked eyes, before Ethan could say another word Zack pulled him back and stepped up to the podium, the crowd fell silent.

"The President and CEO of Element are behind this recent virus outbreak, we managed to get into their sanctuary and confront them face to face. Upon finding out the truth, my friend Jake here attacked both of them. Because of our threat to his safety and not falling in line, we were kicked out and forced to fight infected to escape. On our journey here we watched as countless people died to the infected, we left so many behind because we could not save them. You call yourselves the Saviors of Humanity. I call bullshit, you are just like me. You are ready to watch as others die so long as it means protecting those you care about, and I get it. I don't blame you for making that call, in this hell of a world the President created it's do or die. I'd give my life to protect my friends standing behind me, just as I am sure you'd give your lives to protect your community. But how long can we go on before the infected are not our only enemy? How long will you hold out against savages who are out for blood, when you are forced to fend off against other human beings and infected? You may feel confident now as your strength relies in your numbers, and you have every right to feel that strength. I have no doubt in your capability of surviving this virus, that's why we need your help. If our only threats to our existence was the people who have gone mad, and the infected people who are out to devour us. Then we would have no reason to oppose the President despite his inhumane leadership, but the very fact is that he will do what it takes to kill anyone who does NOT fall in line. He will target any and every human left alive with his military to build a world of nothing but people who follow his lead, please I beg of you. Saviors of Humanity put your name to use, put your strength to use. Lend us your hands and help us bring his tyranny to an end, help us save the world!"

My mind couldn't process what had just happened as Ethan, I, Sarah, and even the crowd stared at him in complete shock. That shock was short lived before the crowd started cheering and chanting "Let's save the world!" as Zach looked back at me smiling. I blushed and smiled back looking at everyone including Sarah cheering. Shortly after we gathered inside at a make shift conference room to discuss how we were going to get in and take out the President. Everyone stood watching as Ethan stood beside the map on the board explaining the game plan.

"Alright we are going to have to gamble, we will have a group of three people approach the entrance and try to get their attention, they shouldn't shoot at any of you unless attacked because you haven't upset the President. Once they open the door, try and find a vehicle. No matter the reason if you are unable to find a vehicle shout out as loud as you can 'YAY SANCTUARY'. That will be our signal to ambush, but if you can find a vehicle we will wait. At that point your mission will be to convince them to let you use the car whether it be for supplies, people, whatever. You need to convince them to let you take it so  you can smuggle our people in. So this means this plan will go two ways.

Plan A: The Car Route
Smuggling people in they will act as people who were found in your trips to get supplies, if there are more vehicles then do what you can to convince the guards to let them use the vehicles so they have multiple cars going out to get supplies. This will make it easier to get everyone in, once everyone has been transported in we will do what we can to find the President's office, I'll assume he would want to thank the people who helped him. Once we find him the plan would be to take him out and make a break for the cars, we do not need to risk our lives fighting the military. So most people will stay behind in the cars, after he is assassinated make a break for the cars and get out of there. We will then retreat to this barn.

Plan B: The non-car Route
After getting into sanctuary, ask the guards to talk to the President if they ask why you will tell them and the President if successful. That you know where a group of survivors are who have a lot of supplies. If you have to give the President some ego boost, tell him about how you are glad he is our Leader in this crisis or whatever. He isn't that smart so he will be easy to persuade especially if you are kissing up to him. Once we can get everyone in, Zach, Jake, and I will have to be hidden as to not alert him. We will gather everyone in his office by telling him we have a plan to help secure the entire state, then once we are in his office we kill him. We can then either hide the body and leave quietly, killing anyone else who is in the building and disposing of their bodies. If that doesn't work we will stand our ground and kill them as they come into the building, we can use the office and other rooms as cover to spread out and take out anyone who comes at us.

Now the only issue is sorting everyone into teams, Ethan, Zach and I have to be in the same group since we can't go into sanctuary first. You all should group with people you are most experienced exploring with, Sarah will be with us for her safety as Leader and will hold the right to call the mission off at anytime. I sat down as the people began discussing who to group with, even with a full fledged plan I only felt worry at the fact that it could easily go wrong. Zach sat beside me as he wrapped his arm around me and Ethan brought his dog. "Wait do you guys hear that?"